6th Democratic Primary Debate: on Government Reform


Amy Klobuchar: Constitutional Amendment to overturn Citizens United

What is making a case for progress about? That is what unites us, which is campaign finance reform. That means passing a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. It means making the first bill we pass when I am president will be HR1 which is the ethics reform passed in the house, which is currently sitting on Mitch McConnell's desk. If you don't think we can get this done, we can, but not by arguing with each other but by finding what united us in getting it done.
Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate Dec 19, 2019

Elizabeth Warren: I've done 100,000 selfies, at no cost for each handshake

I'm crowding in on 100,000 selfies. That's 100,000 hugs and handshakes and stories. Stories from people who are struggling with student loan debt, stories from people who can't pay their medical bills, stories from people who can't find childcare.

Those selfies cost nobody anything. And I get it. In a democracy, we all have a lot of different points of view and everybody gets one vote. But here's the thing, people who can put down $5,000 to have a picture taken, don't have the same priorities as people who are struggling with student loan debt or struggling to pay off medical debt. I'm running a campaign where people whose voices get heard. We can't have people who can put down $5,000 for a check, drown out the voices of everyone else. They don't in my campaign and they won't in my white house.

I meet families every day in the selfie lines who talk about what it means to be crushed by student loan debt. That's why I have a proposal to ask those at the top to pay a little more.

Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate Dec 19, 2019

  • The above quotations are from Democratic Primary Debate, December 19 at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, co-hosted by PBS Newshour and Politico.com.
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  • Click here for more quotes by Deval Patrick on Government Reform.
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2020 Presidential contenders on Government Reform:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Dec 27, 2019